The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Bronze Centellaxe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a mutation induction breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. The objective of the program is to create new Chrysanthemum cultivars with desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, good substance, and good postproduction longevity.
The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary induced mutation that originated by exposing unrooted cuttings of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Centella, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,793, to X-ray radiation. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of the irradiated selection in April, 1997, in Salinas, Calif. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable inflorescence form and floret colors and good postproduction longevity.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Bronze Centella has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Bronze Centellaxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Bronze Centellaxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Daisy-type inflorescences that are about 3.75 cm in diameter.
2. Attractive yellow and red-colored ray florets and bright yellow-colored disc florets.
3. Very freely flowering with numerous inflorescences per stem.
4. Early flowering, response time is about 51 days.
5. Dark green foliage.
6. Strong and thick stems.
7. Good postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaining good substance and color for about three weeks in an interior environment.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the cultivar Centella primarily in ray floret color as plants of the cultivar Centella have golden yellow-colored ray florets.